"The worst part...wasn't the sharks, and it wasn't seeing your buddies die...It was when you realize...they've forgotten us. We can't last out here forever-- we're gonna die..."--Giles McCoy, private first-class, USMC, USS Indianapolis

On the night of July 30, 1945, the Navy cruiser USS Indianapolis was torpedoed by a Japanese sub, sending 900 men into the black, churning waters of the Pacific. What happened next was a nightmarish battle for survival. Injured, adrift, clinging to each other and their waterlogged life rafts, the men watched in horror as their crewmates fell victim to catastrophic injuries, exposure, hallucinations, and relentless shark attacks. Worst of all, their last radio S.O.S. had been disregarded by the Navy as a possible prank. When help finally arrived an astonishing five days later, only 317 of the ship's crew were still alive. Meticulously researched, including eyewitness reports from USS Indianapolis survivors, In Harm's Way recounts with frightening accuracy those five harrowing days at sea, and gives readers a moving, unforgettable account of the worst naval disaster at sea in U.S. history.

Annotation:This World War II account of survival at sea also raises questions of military justice. The USS Indianapolis was torpedoed by the Japanese after it had delivered a top secret cargo that was later revealed to be elements of one of the bombs dropped on Japan. The crew abandoned ship and endured a five-day ordeal in open sea before the survivors were rescued. The captain of the ship, Charles McVay, was court-martialed. Questions have been raised about the Navy's delay in the crew's rescue, and about whether the captain was a scapegoat. McVay later committed suicide, and many in his crew spent years trying to have his name cleared. He was exonerated in the 2001 National Defense Authorization Act.

Praise

Washington Post Book WorldMany survivors of the attack believe that McVay was innocent...and they have organized campaigns to have his record cleared. This has been supported by vote of Congress, but the Navy itself remains adamant. Perhaps Stanton's vivid account of the ordeal of the Indianapolis will compel the Navy to examine the matter again, since the book seems likely to find many readers and stir strong emotions...." - Jonathan Yardley 04/08/2001